Earworm

       Heaven Came Down and Glory Filled My Soul

(1) O what a wonderful, wonderful day-

Day I will never forget;

After I'd wandered in darkness away,

Jesus my Savior I met.

O what a tender, compassionate friend-

He met the need of my heart;

Shadows dispelling, With joy I am telling,

He made all the darkness depart!

      

CHORUS: Heaven came down

and glory filled my soul,

When at the cross

the Savior made me whole;

My sins were washed away

And my night was turned to day-

Heaven came down

and glory filled my soul!

      

(2) Born of the Spirit with life from above

Into God's family divine,

Justified fully through Calvary's love,

O what a standing is mine!

And the transaction so quickly was made

When as a sinner I came,

Took of the offer Of grace He did proffer-

He saved me, O praise His dear name!

      

(3) Now I've a hope that will surely endure

After the passing of time;

I have a future in heaven for sure.

There in those mansions sublime.

And its because of that wonderful day

What at the cross I believed;

Riches eternal And blessings supernal

From His precious hand I received.

Another Isaac Watts hymn

Came across this today and thought it a rather good one.

Lo! what a glorious sight appears
To our believing eyes!
The earth and sea are passed away,
And the old rolling skies.

From the third heav’n, where God resides,
That holy, happy place,
The new Jerusalem comes down,
Adorned with shining grace.

Attending angels shout for joy,
And the bright armies sing—
“Mortals, behold the sacred seat
Of your descending King.

“The God of glory down to men
Removes His blest abode;
Men, the dear objects of His grace,
And he the loving God.

“His own soft hand shall wipe the tears
From every weeping eye,
And pains, and groans, and griefs, and fears,
And death itself, shall die.”

How long, dear Saviour! O how long
Shall this bright hour delay?
Fly swifter round, ye wheels of time,
And bring the welcome day.

          by Isaac Watts

Another Tozer quote

"God Almighty dwells in an eternal now that is unaffected by the passing of time. The sun that rises in the east in the morning does not make God a day older when it sets in the west at night. It does not affect the infinite perfection of this eternal God. God is sovereign over yesterday, today and forever, which are mere elements of time." A.W. Tozer

J.R. Miller's "In Green Pastures" devotional for February 14th.

"The Value of the Reserve

There is a wide difference between worrying about a possible future of trial and being ready for it if it should come. The former we should never be; the latter we should always seek to be. It is he who is always prepared for emergencies, for the hard pinches, the steep climbing, the sore struggle, that gets through life victoriously. In moral and spiritual things it is the same. It is the reserve that saves us in all final tests - the strength that lies behind what we need in ordinary experiences. Those who daily commune with God, breathing his life into their souls, become strong with that secret, hidden strength which preserves them from falling in the day of trial. They have a "vessel" from which to refill the lamp when its little cup of oil is exhausted."

Time for more quotes from A.W. Tozer

"We must get on our knees before our open Bible and allow the Holy Spirit to break our hearts and create a passion for Christ as we've never had before. We must ask for a passion of such a nature that the things of this world will begin to diminish in their attraction for us. A passion for Christ will enable us to rise above our culture and look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Let us be alert to the season in which we are living. It is the season of the Blessed Hope, calling for us to cut our ties with the world and build ourselves on this One who will soon appear. He is our hope - a Blessed Hope enabling us to rise above our times and fix our gaze upon Him.
 As Bible-believing Christians, it is imperative that we stay fully alert to the times in which we live. Our enemy is a master deceiver and a con artist of the highest order, diverting our attention from the Blessed Hope with the problems we face every day. Understanding Bible prophecy will create a passion for holy living. To know the Blessed Hope is to live in full expectation of Christ's imminent return. All signs today point to this being the season of the Blessed Hope. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

"Oh God, I come to Thee with a heart impassioned for Thee, that I may know Thy fullness and purity and not become engrossed with mere curiosity or trivial aspects of Thy Son's return. Allow nothing but Thee to fascinate me. Amen."

(It seems like Tozer really knew what he was talking about! These quotes blessed me. I hope you are also blessed by them.)

More Tozer. Prayer and praise and promises

Today I finished one of Tozer's books: "God's Power for your life: How the Holy Spirit transforms you through God's Word." It contains some great challenges and encouragements, including,

"I love Thee, for I can trust Thee to always keep Thy Word. All around me are those who fail to keep their promises for one reason or another. Everyone at some time has disappointed me, but Thou, O Christ, hast never disappointed me. Thou hast been as good as Thy Word, and Thy Word hath been good to me. May I commit myself this day and surrender my heart, mind and life to the promises that have flowed into my heart. In Jesus' name. Amen."

"The man of God says that we "have fled for refuge", and I can just see myself, with the devil one hot jump behind me, racing for the cross of Jesus, racing for Calvary's holy mountain. Just as I come panting in, the doors let down behind me, and the devil runs head-on into the gate and bounces off. He does not get me, because I have found the refuge and I am safe."

"So, says the Spirit, go on; keep on believing. You are not mistaken in fleeing to Christ. Our hope is sure, our consolation is strong, and our forerunner has already entered. The anchor grips the rock. Everything is all right in our Father's house. So, arouse you. Pursue holiness. "Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises" (Hebrews 6:12). Show diligence and full assurance of hope unto the end."

"Christians ought to be the most delighted, happy people in the world. It is strange that we are not - but I know why we are not. The devil is out after us. The flesh is out after us. The world is out after us. In fighting these three enemies, sometimes we do not have time to be happy. We do not have time to remember that we are as safe in the arms of Jesus as if we had been in heaven a thousand years - if we will only believe, go on, and not disgrace ourselves in the kingdom of God by turning back to the beggarly elements of the world...
We have a promise we can count on, because we have a Promiser who has never and can never fail."

Patient Love - today's excerpt from In Green Pastures daily devotional by J.R. Miller D.D

"As I have loved you" means love that is sweet, fragrant, and gentle to men who have may rudenesses and meannesses, who are selfish and faulty, with sharp corners and but partially sanctified lives and very vexing ways. If all Christian people were angelic, and you were too, it would not be hard to love all; but as many other people are not yet angelic, you will still have need of patience, even if you are angelic yourself, - which probably you are not."

Wonderful, Merciful Savior (Cover)

Another lovely version of this great song.

Things I read today

"That which is has already been, and what is to be has already been; and God

requires an account of what is past."  Ecclesiastes 3:15

"This is the goal of every Christian experience: to know God in His manifest presence."

A.W. Tozer

Sing them over again to me,
Wonderful words of life,
Let me more of their beauty see,
Wonderful words of life;
Words of life and beauty
Teach me faith and duty.


Refrain:
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life;
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life.


Christ, the blessed One, gives to all
Wonderful words of life;
Sinner, list to the loving call,
Wonderful words of life;
All so freely given,
Wooing us to heaven.


Sweetly echo the Gospel call,
Wonderful words of life;
Offer pardon and peace to all,
Wonderful words of life;
Jesus, only Saviour,
Sanctify forever.


Our dear Saviour will come some day,
Wonderful words of life;
Come to rapture His bride away,
Wonderful words of life;
Glory, glory, glory,
Shout the wondrous story!
by Philip P. Bliss.

(I had previously not heard or read the last verse, so I was pleased to come across it today.)

More Tozer quotes and an A.B. Simpson hymn

"Light is available to all who seek. That is the secret.
Those who seek God earnestly and desperately
shall surely come into the glorious light of His presence."

"Nobody was more intolerant than Jesus Christ was."
A.W. Tozer

"1 I have learned the wondrous secret
Of abiding in the Lord;
I have found the strength and sweetness
Of confiding in His word;
I have tasted life’s pure fountain,
I am drinking of His blood,
I have lost myself in Jesus,
I am sinking into God. 

Refrain:
I’m abiding in the Lord,
And confiding in His word,
And I’m hiding, safely hiding,
In the bosom of His love. 

2 I am crucified with Jesus,
And He lives and dwells in me,
I have ceased from all my struggling,
’Tis no longer I but He;
All my will is yielded to Him,
And His Spirit reigns within,
And His precious blood each moment
Keeps me cleansed and free from sin. [Refrain]

3 All my cares I cast upon Him,
And He bears them all away;
All my fears and griefs I tell Him,
All my needs from day to day.
All my strength I draw from Jesus,
By His breath I live and move;
E’en His very mind He gives me
And His faith and life and love. [Refrain]

4 For my words I take His wisdom,
For my works His Spirit’s pow’r,
For my ways His gracious presence
Guards and guides me every hour;
Of my heart He is the Portion,
Of my joy the ceaseless Spring,
Saviour, Sanctifier, Keeper,
Glorious Lord and loving King.

A.B. Simpson

A very short Tozer quote

I read this prayer today in a Tozer book and thought it worth sharing, so here it is:

"I have sought Thee, O Lord, and have been confused by the false authorities that have authority over Thee. May my heart be rooted in Thy Word, O God, to such an extent that Thy truth is ever precious to me. In Jesus' name. Amen."

Yesterday's Streams in the desert devotional

I read this last night and I found it very encouraging and challenging.
I hope you are equally encouraged.

Still upward be thine onward course:
For this I pray today;
Still upward as the years go by,
And seasons pass away.

Still upward in this coming year,
Thy path is all untried;
Still upward may'st thou journey on,
Close by thy Saviour's side.

Still upward e'en though sorrow come,
And trials crush thine heart;
Still upward may they draw thy soul,
With Christ to walk apart.

Still upward till the day shall break,
And shadows all have flown;
Still upward till in Heaven you wake,
And stand before the throne.

We ought not to rest content in the mists of the valley when the summit of Tabor awaits us. How pure are the dews of the hills, how fresh is the mountain air, how rich the fare of the dwellers aloft, whose windows look into the New Jerusalem! Many saints are content to live like men in coal mines, who see not the sun. Tears mar their faces when they might anoint them with celestial oil. Satisfied I am that many a believer pines in a dungeon when he might walk on the palace roof, and view the goodly land and Lebanon. Rouse thee, O believer, from thy low condition! Cast away thy sloth, thy lethargy, thy coldness, or whatever interferes with thy chaste and pure love to Christ. Make Him the source, the centre, and the circumference of all thy soul's range of delight. Rest no longer satisfied with thy dwarfish attainments. Aspire to a higher, a nobler, a fuller life. Upward to heaven! Nearer to God!
--Spurgeon

Happy New Year

God Knows

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:
“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied:
“Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”
So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.
And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.

So heart be still:
What need our little life
Our human life to know,
If God hath comprehension?
In all the dizzy strife
Of things both high and low,
God hideth His intention.

God knows. His will Is best. 
The stretch of years
Which wind ahead, so dim
To our imperfect vision, Are clear to God.
Our fears are premature;
 In Him,All time hath full provision.

Then rest: until 
God moves to lift the veil
From our impatient eyes,
When, as the sweeter features
Of Life’s stern face we hail,
Fair beyond all surmise
God’s thought around His creatures
Our mind shall fill.

Christmas Day's Checkbook of Faith entry

From Charles Spurgeon's "Faith's Checkbook"
He Came; He Is Coming
December 25
This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11)

Many are celebrating our Lord's first coming this day; let us turn our thoughts to the promise of His second coming. This is as sure as the first advent and derives a great measure of its certainty from it. He who came as a lowly man to serve will assuredly come to take the reward of His service. He who came to suffer will not be slow in coming to reign.
This is our glorious hope, for we shall share His joy. Today we are in our concealment and humiliation, even as He was while here below; but when He cometh it will be our manifestation, even as it will be His revelation. Dead saints shall live at His appearing. The slandered and despised shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Then shall the saints appear as kings and priests, and the days of their mourning shall be ended. The long rest and inconceivable splendor of the millennial reign will be an abundant recompense for the ages of witnessing and warring.
Oh, that the Lord would come! He is coming! He is on the road and traveling quickly. The sound of His approach should be as music to our hearts! Ring out, ye bells of hope!

(Another great Spurgeon quote. Good stuff.)

Glory to God ( Happy Christmas!!)